Knitting machine



Nov. 27, 1934. P. P. LA MONTAGNE KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 2 1931 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 27, 1934 KNITTING MACHINE .Patrick it. La Montagne, Kankakee, Ill., assignor to Paramount Textile Machinery Company,

. Kankakee, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application my 2, 1931, Serial No. 534,546

3 Claims.

I My invention relates to improvements in circular rib knitting machines and more particularly to a knitting machine which is designed toautomatically knita stocking having a complete 5 ribbed leg, the knitting preferably beginning at the toe end of the stocking, and which is further arranged to apply a localtension to the fabric upon completion of the heel pocket in order to facilitate the rib knitting completely around the stocking, or insuch portions as may be desired. One object of my invention is the provision of mechanism which positively secures the proper and uniform engagement of the claw or grab member which applies the local tension with the fabric of each stocking as knitted and thereby insures in conjunction with the usual take-up rollers the application of a substantially uniform tension circularly of the stocking with manifest improvement in the character of the knitting. A further objectis the devising of mechanism of the character indicated whereby the ribbing on the back of the stocking may be continued down from the leg portion to the course marking the last reciprocation in theheel; pocket, the action-of the grab member beingtimed toapply the necessary tension when the rib knitting begins. A iurther object is to provide mechanism of the nature set forth which is specially adapted for use in connection with the knitting of a reinforced, narrow heel portion of ribbed'fabric just above the regular heel pocket.

In the knitting of circular hosiery, or that type of hosiery in which the individual stockings are knit successively in a continuous tube and of ribbed fabric, the knitting of the heel-and toe by reciprocation introduces pockets in that side of the tube corresponding tothe back ofthe finishedstocking. The effect of these pockets is to lengthen the fabric tube on that one side. Consequently, when the ordinary take-up rollers, near the lower part of the machine frame, engage the fabric for the purpose of setting up tension there in to facilitate the rib knitting, the fabric at the front of the tube is properly tensioned, while that at the back thereof is loose because of the heel and toe pockets As a resultof the uneven nature of the pressure on the dial needles caused by the unequal tension in the fabric, rib knitting becomes difiicult, if not impossible, just after the heel pocket has been knit and it is therefore important to devisesome means for taking up the looseness createdlby the heel pocket. The present machine finds special application inthe manufacture ofajhighly desirablestocking, ,the nature of, which is recited in detail in the application of Albert F. Dreska, Serial Number 534,575, filed concurrently herewith, and in which rib knitting is introduced from the course marked by the last reciprocation in the heel pocket, up to and continuing as a part of the B rib-knit leg in order to provide a' reinforcement for the heel.

These and further objects of my invention will be set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and the novel means by which said objects areefiectuated will be definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the complete mechanism of the present invention, with 7 inconsequential portions thereof sectioned or broken away for clarity;

Figure 2 is a partial view of the ankle and heel region of a novel form of stocking with which the present disclosure is concerned;

The principal figure .of the drawing shows only so much of a rib-stitch circular knitting machine as is deemed necessary for comprehension of the invention. Many of the parts of the machine which are not involved in or concerned with the so operationof the present device have been omitted, and all of the parts are indicated in a somewhat diagrammatic form and not in their true proportions, in order that the disclosure of this invention may be readily and clearly understood. .Referring to the drawing the numeral 1 indicates the cylinder needle assembly, and in operative relation thereto, the dial needle assembly 2.

A single cylinder needle and a single dial needle are shown at 3 and ,4, respectively, the purpose being .to convey a schematic idea of the relative positions thereof, the dial needle hook line being indicated, for convenience, by the dotted line 5. Extending downward from the knitting line is the knitted, continuous stocking web 6, only such portion thereof being indicatedas is necessary to an understanding of the present invention, and this portion including the heel and toe pockets marked, respectively, A and B. It is to be understood that the ,web 6 continues downward to the serrated, take-up rollers (not shown) of a well known type, which serve to supply the requisite tension in thefabric for rib knitting.

Disposed below and to the front of the vertical axis of the cylinder 1 is the usual pattern drum shaft 7 and aifixedto saidshaft at one end thereof is a plate cam 8, provided with a cam projection 9. In cooperative relation-with the periphery of said cam is ,a roller l2, rotatably mounted on a lever 13 which in turn rocks on a pivot 14 afiixed to the framework of the machine in any suitable manner. To the opposite, free extremity of the lever 13 is articulated at 15 a connecting link 16, which is pivotally connected at 17 to a lever 18. The lever 18 is pivotally mounted in any convenient manner to the framework at 19. Pivoted at 22 near the forward end 23 of the lever 18 is a grab bar 24 which extends vertically upward and inside the cylinder 1, the upper end of the bar 24 in fully retracted position being disposed adjacent the lower end of said cylinder.

A grab or claw 25 is provided in the upper end of the bar 24 and comprises a plurality of sharp teeth 26 which are preferably curved slightly in a downward direction, substantially as shown, the points of the teeth being directed toward the web 6. The bar 24 is provided with a lug 2'7 to which is attached one end of a coil spring 28, the other end of said spring being attached to a fixed bottom stop 29. Disposed above the stop 29 is the top stop 32, both being aiiixed to the framework of the machine in any suitable manner, and if preferred, may be arranged for adjustment vertically, the purpose of the stops being to limit the vertical travel of the end 23 of the lever 18 and consequently its connected bar 24, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Affixed to the other end of the shaft 7 is a second plate cam 33 provided with its cam projection 34, and in cooperative relation thereto is a roller 35 rotatably carried by a rocker 36. The rocker 36 is pivoted at 3'? on the framework and pivoted to an upwardly extending arm 38, which A v is provided on the rocker 36, is a substantially 35' I-shaped link 39, the longer leg of which is slidable through an arm 42 of a swinging member 43 which rocks in a vertical plane upon a pivot pin 44 fixed in the frame. A collar 47 serves to adjust the relative positions of the arm 38 and the member 43. Rigidly attached to the lower end of the member 43 is a guide arm 45 which extends towards the cylinder 1 and is provided at its inner end with a rectangular hole 46 through which passes the bar 24. Therefore when the member 43 is rocked as hereinafter explained, a corresponding movement is imparted to the bar 24.

In describing the operation of the machine, it will be assumed that the standard heel pocket of the stocking web has been completed and that the machine is about to knit the reinforced ribbed heel portion C (see Fig. 2) as described in the aforesaid Dreska application, or generally any rib knitting which is located adjacent the heel pocket. At this time the cam projection 9 rocks the lever 13 downwardly about its pivot 14, which movement, through the link 16, rotates the lever 18 in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot 19 to thereby move the bar 24 upwardly through the guide hole 46 and within the cylinder 1 to an elevation substantially indicated by the dotted lines, these several movements resulting in an extension of the spring 28. The top stop 32 prevents overthrow of the lever 18 which might otherwise occur by reason of its momentum, so that the grab 25 is accurately positioned each time that it is moved to its uppermost position, prior to engaging the stocking fabric. In this raised position the grab 25 and its associated teeth 26 are located beside the web 6 of the fabric, just above the heel pocket A and as near to the knitting line as possible, as determined by the dimensions and relationship of the parts.

Following the raising of the bar 24, the cam projection 34 on the cam 33 actuates the rocker 36 upwardly about its pivot 37, thereby exerting a pull on the link 39 through the arm 38 of the rocker. The member 43 is accordingly moved inwardly about its pivot 44 towards the cylinder 1 to thereby actuate the guide member 45 for rocking the bar 24 towards the axis of the cylinder. By this movement, the teeth 26 are caused to engage positively with the web of the fabric, as shown by the dotted outline in Fig. 1.

Immediately after the grab has become engaged, the continued rotation of the cams 8 and 33 in the directions shown by arrows causes the rollers 12 and 35 to ride free of the projections 9 and 34, respectively, which would otherwise permit a return of the several parts of the mechanism to the full line positions shown in Fig. 1 under weight of the parts and the pull of the spring 28. The engagement of the teeth 26 with the fabric, however, prevents this action, so that the fabric in the region of the grab engagement is subjected to a tensional strain under the weight of the bar 24, its associated members, and the pull of the spring 28. The extent of the applied tension is sufiicient to facilitate proper rib knitting on the rear side of the stocking just above the heel pocket.

During the foregoing action, the ordinary, serrated, take-up rollers, not shown, are functioning continuously in the usual manner to furnish rib knitting tension around those portions of the knitting line which are affected by the uniform pull thereof, only the slack or rear side of the stocking being affected by the special grab arrangement of the present invention. These takeup rollers operate to draw the knitted web 6 as shown downwardly through the cylinder 1, with the grab 25 engaging the fabric, and rib-knitting progressing until the pull of the take-up rollers is sumcient to impose the proper tension around the entire circumference of the web. In point of time, this condition is substantially coincident with the contacting of the rollers 12 and 35 with the plain cylindrical surfaces of the cams 8 and 33 respectively, thereby relieving the weight pull on the web 6 and permitting further downward movement of the stocking web to move the fabric free of the teeth 26, whereupon the spring 28 will return the bar 24 to the full line position shown in Fig. 1. In this operation, it will be apparent that, when the grab 25 is prevented from moving downwardly, the continuously moving fabric will free itself from the downwardly curved, or generally angularly disposed, teeth of the grab. The mechanism is now ready to repeat the foregoing operation.

While I have shown one set of elements and combinations thereof for eifectuating my improved knitting machine attachment, it will be understood that the same is intended for purpose of illustration only and in no wise to restrict the mechanism to the exact forms and structures shown, for many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine for making circular knitted fabric, mechanism for applying a local tension to the fabric adjacent a pocket portion thereof to facilitate rib knitting comprising a shaft, a grab member, a first cam on the shaft, connections operable by the first cam for moving the member into a position free of and adjacent the portion of the fabric to be engaged, a second cam on the shaft, and connections operable by the second cam for positively moving the memher into engagement with the fabric, the member thereafter applying a pull to the engaged portion of the fabric.

2. In a knitting machine for'making circular knitted fabric, mechanism for applying a local tension to the vertically moving fabric adjacent a pocket portion thereof to facilitate rib knitting comprising a shaft, a grab member having teeth inclined in the direction of the moving fabric, a first cam having a cam portion mounted on the shaft, connections operable by the cam portion for elevating the member to a position free of and adjacent the portion of the fabric to be engaged, a second cam having a cam portion mounted on the shaft, connections operable by the second cam portion for positively moving the member into engagement with the fabric, said cams breaking contact with both of said connections after the member has become engaged with the fabric to thereby cause the weight of the member and the associated connections to pull downwardly on the fabric, and stop portions on grab member having a supporting arm and adapted to apply a pull to the fabric, a shaft, a first cam on the shaft, connections operable by the cam for placing the member in a position free of and adjacent the portion of the fabric to be engaged, a second cam on the shaft, and connections operable by the second cam for positively moving the member into engagement with the fabric, said last named connections having a guide cooperating with the grab member arm to maintain the member free of contact with the fabric until actuated by the second cam.

PATRICK P. LA MONTAGNE. 

